Securing the Future Together

Matching Party: Business succession requires visibility, dialogue, and the right partners.

Text by Kseniya Milner | Event Management Coordinator

On June 16, we joined forces with BürgschaftsBank Berlin, Nachfolgezentrale Berlin, the Economic Council of 1. FC Union / COVENDIT, and the Berlin School of Economics and Law to host the Matching Party 2026.

Our goal: to bring together business owners, potential successors, and financing partners, and to create concrete opportunities for successful business transitions.

The guests were welcomed by Prof. Jörg Ritter, a member of our Executive Board, who also served as the evening’s moderator, and Melanie Bähr, Managing Director of BürgschaftsBank Berlin.

The event kicked off with brief, practical presentations and pitches from academia, consulting, and the business world. It became clear that business succession is not a “Plan B,” but rather a distinct path to entrepreneurship—often involving fewer risks than a traditional startup. Existing customer relationships, established processes, and well-developed structures provide a stable foundation for further development and innovation.

Some key takeaways from the evening:

• About 4,800 companies in Berlin are currently looking for a successor, an issue of great economic importance.
• Successful succession combines tradition and innovation; it does not pit the two against each other.
• Early planning, clear responsibilities, and sufficient time for the handover are key factors for success.
• Effective succession planning is built on communication, openness, and an honest alignment of expectations, ideas, and visions.

The in-depth exchange among all participants was particularly valuable. This is precisely where it became clear how important it is to have spaces where business owners looking to sell, potential successors, and financing and consulting partners can engage in dialogue with one another.

We would like to thank Prof. Jörg Ritter for the clear structure, his confident moderation, and the insights he provided throughout the evening. We would also like to thank the speakers: Prof. Dr. Birgit Felden (HWR Berlin), Dr. Christian Schuchardt (Nachfolgezentrale Berlin), Christof Sagester (CONVENDIT | Economic Council of 1. FC Union e. V.), Anja Rinno (BürgschaftsBank Berlin), and Dr. Verena Jaeschke (Oderberger Hotel | GLS Campus) for their practical insights and valuable perspectives.

Special thanks go to all our partners and guests for an inspiring summer evening and the many stimulating conversations.

For us, one thing is clear: the dialogue on business succession will continue.

Photo credit: Sebastian Hahn